‘Job Well Done', Says Trump After Karoline Leavitt Steps Down As White House Press Secretary

One of US President Donald Trump’s most trusted aides, Karoline Leavitt, on Wednesday (local time) announced that she would be stepping down from her role as White House Press Secretary, citing maternal duties. She will depart by the end of August and will continue as a top Trump adviser from outside the White House.

Leavitt welcomed her second child, a daughter named Viviana, on May 1, 2026, and has a son named Nicholas Riccio, who was born in July 2024. She said that since returning to the White House after the birth of her daughter, she could not be the best mother her children deserve while devoting the constant time, energy and attention required of the White House Press Secretary.

Why Is Karoline Leavitt Leaving The White House?

Leavitt served as the White House Press Secretary for over one and a half years. She described her job as “the honor and adventure of a lifetime.” Leavitt thanked Trump for letting her speak on his behalf at the White House podium.

She noted that being a mother and welcoming a new baby while “working in one of the most demanding jobs in the world has been the most rewarding yet challenging season” of her life. She described her decision to quit as ‘bittersweet’, and said she will now embark on a new chapter of her life.

What Will Karoline Leavitt Do Next?

Leavitt said she ‘relished’ holding the “liberal media accountable and ensuring the American people hear the truth about President Trump’s successes.” She said that Trump has asked her to continue serving as a top advisor from outside the White House and she said she will always remain a vocal advocate for MAGA (Make America Great Again) and the Republican Party.

She also noted with caution that the US is “facing an existential threat from an increasingly extremist Democrat Party that seeks to destroy everything great about America, and I believe it is incumbent upon all of us who care about this country to fight back against that threat. My fight is entering a new phase, but it is far from over.”

Karoline Leavitt's White House Tenure

Leavitt further thanked First Lady Melania Trump, and Chief of Staff Susie Wiles for hiring her on the campaign, her cabinet colleagues, her husband and family who helped her do her job. She said she will continue to cheer them on for the rest of Trump’s tenure. It is not immediately clear who would replace her.

Leavitt was known to have a rather combative relationship with the media, as she accused some reporters of being ‘biased’ or ‘left wing’. On February 14, 2025, the White House had banned the Associated Press from the White House from accessing the Oval Office and Air Force One over their decisions to not use the name ‘Gulf of America’ instead of ‘Gulf of Mexico’.

Leavitt is the second longest-serving press secretary in either of Trump's administrations, following only Sarah Huckabee Sanders.